World Lord 'Hafa'

"Kid, are you interested in joining Universe First Bank?"

"Senior, I'm sorry." Gu Ce shook his head slightly. "I still want to take part in the Peak Genius Battle a few years from now."

"The Virtual Universe Company? That makes sense. You really should give it a try."

Sitting across from Gu Ce was the bald Domain Lord who was just one step away from gaining recognition from the Law of Metal.

His name was Aidera, and he was considered a core genius of Universe First Bank.

He was roughly on the level of the Virtual Universe Company's Apocalypse Secret Realm or Heaven and Earth Secret Realm. However, because Universe First Bank had fewer geniuses, his status was even higher.

"I've watched your battle videos. Your comprehension of the Space Laws runs deep. You have a chance of making the top ten in the Genius Battle." Aidera laughed heartily.

"You flatter me, Senior Aidera." Gu Ce replied with a smile.

"By the way, Senior, what happened in the secret realm?"

Aidera waved his hand and continued, "I checked. You bought your ticket using a Four-Star Customer account, so you're qualified to know what happened in the secret realm. I'll tell you directly."

"The Ku Hai Secret Realm didn't originally belong to the Human Race."

"About 1.1 million eras ago, the Ku Hai Secret Realm was discovered. At the time, it was occupied by an alien Immortal who called himself the Ku Hai Divine Lord."

"We once tried to recruit him, but he refused to join the Human Race. Universe First Bank then sent an Immortal to kill him and claimed this place as Human Race territory."

"At first, the resources produced here were useful even to some World Lords. But as time passed, perhaps because the Ku Hai Divine Lord had died, the energy density here gradually declined. It slowly became what it was now, a trial ground for those at the Stellar Level."

"Until four months ago, abnormalities appeared in the secret realm, and some trial participants vanished. Lord Hafa came here once, but he couldn't find the cause, so he had me keep watch here." Aidera sighed.

"It was all thanks to you that I discovered the truth. Lord Hafa is already on his way and should be here soon."

After saying that, Aidera closed his mouth and did not explain what the truth was.

Gu Ce was extremely curious, but it was not appropriate for him to ask. He could only speculate in silence.

Was it a contingency left behind by the Ku Hai Divine Lord?

The Ku Hai Divine Lord should not have been too powerful. At most, he was probably at the Marquis level, perhaps even weaker than Hu Yanbo.

What kind of contingency could harm the secret realm's trial participants more than a million eras after his death?

As he pondered this, Aidera suddenly rose to his feet.

"Lord Hafa!"

Aidera spoke respectfully.

Hearing this, Gu Ce turned his head and saw an ordinary-looking middle-aged man standing there with a cheerful grin, his appearance much like a potbellied man from Earth.

World Lord Hafa!

Gu Ce sharply noticed that there was a large tree imprint between Lord Hafa's brows.

That was the mark of someone who had gained recognition from the Law of Wood.

Thinking about it, Gu Ce found it perfectly normal. Although this secret realm had gradually deteriorated into a Stellar Level trial ground, it had once been the territory of an Immortal. It made sense to station such a powerful World Lord here.

"And this is?" Hafa asked Aidera with a smile.

Aidera hurried forward and quietly introduced Gu Ce's background to Hafa.

A Four-Star Customer account?

Hafa was slightly surprised.

The requirement for Four-Star status was deposits exceeding ten thousand Hunyuan Units. It almost certainly meant that an Immortal stood behind Gu Ce!

No wonder Aidera had treated this kid so well.

Hafa nodded in sudden realization, and the smile on his face broadened.

"You're Gu Ce, right? The problem in the secret realm this time was an oversight on the part of Universe First Bank. How about this? I'll make the decision to give you a Ku Hai Crystal Marrow and waive your ticket fee this time. What do you think?" Hafa asked with a smile.

"Thank you very much, Lord Hafa!" Gu Ce quickly said.

"However, what exactly is this Ku Hai Crystal Marrow?" Gu Ce had never heard that the Ku Hai Secret Realm produced such a thing.

Aidera stepped forward to explain on Hafa's behalf. "It is a substance even more precious than Ku Hai Crystal Source. Only once every hundred years, when the Ku Hai Secret Realm experiences low tide—when the seawater dries up—can people enter the depths of the seabed to search for it."

"This item can definitely allow someone to grasp the Water Domain. It is of tremendous help in allowing its user to cross the threshold of the Law of Water."

There was such a thing?

Gu Ce was slightly astonished.

No wonder the Ku Hai Secret Realm was not open to the public when the Ku Hai Sea dried up!

A treasure of this level was likely worth hundreds of times more than Ku Hai Crystal Source.

Controlling this secret realm would bring a continuous stream of wealth. In that case, Hafa's background was anything but simple.

For Hafa to guard such a lucrative place, there had to be an Immortal supporting him from behind.

What a pity.

Gu Ce sighed inwardly.

This Ku Hai Crystal Marrow was useless to him.

"Lord Hafa..." Aidera leaned close to Hafa and whispered something.

Afterward, Hafa looked at Gu Ce with even greater surprise, along with a trace of admiration.

"I was being stingy. I didn't expect you had already crossed the threshold of the Law of Water." Hafa exclaimed. "Since that's the case, I'll give you different compensation."

"I already roughly know the cause of the abnormality in the Ku Hai Secret Realm. After the Ku Hai Divine Lord died, his Divine Kingdom had not completely collapsed. It seems to have become bound to the Ku Hai Secret Realm, or perhaps some treasure supported it. As time passed, an opening finally broke through."

Hafa directly revealed the truth behind the Ku Hai Secret Realm's abnormality, startling both of them.

"Can you tell me this?" Gu Ce could not help asking.

Couldn't he see that Aidera beside him was practically panicking?

This had to be an internal secret of Universe First Bank!

"It's fine." Hafa waved his hand.

"My teacher will be coming as well. He will open the entrance to the Ku Hai Divine Lord's Divine Kingdom and allow the bank's people to enter and explore it."

"Your teacher?" Aidera clearly knew something and relaxed.

Hafa's teacher was a Marquis Immortal stationed at Universe First Bank's branch in the Qianwu Universe Country!

A genuine Marquis, not one of those self-styled Marquises from the Qianwu Universe Country!

With such a being appearing, even if the Ku Hai Divine Lord were resurrected, he would not be able to cause much trouble.

"As far as I know, even after an Immortal dies, countless dangers remain within his Divine Kingdom. Of course, there are opportunities as well."

"After the Ku Hai Divine Lord died, we never found his inheritance!"

Hafa gave Gu Ce a meaningful look.

"I estimate that not many people can enter the Ku Hai Divine Lord's Divine Kingdom, and they cannot be too strong either. Perhaps even Domain Lords cannot enter. The weaker the people going in, the better, preferably those with low realms but great strength."

"That way, even if something happens, my teacher, Cangyuan Hou, can rescue them in time."

"So, are you satisfied with this compensation?" Hafa asked with a smile.

"Thank you, Lord Hafa!" Gu Ce said gratefully.

"Only..." Gu Ce hesitated, remaining wary in his heart. "Why do you want me to enter?"

"Haha, just consider it an investment." Hafa laughed loudly. "You will certainly enter the core level of the Virtual Universe Company through the Genius Battle. As long as you do not die in the future, you will at least reach my current level of strength. Letting you enter the Ku Hai Divine Lord's Divine Kingdom costs me nothing, so why would I refuse?"

"Don't worry. With my teacher here, a fallen Immortal cannot make a comeback. If you're afraid, you can choose not to enter. I can still give you a Ku Hai Crystal Marrow. At auction outside, this thing sells for more than a hundred billion Cosmic Coins."

"I'm willing to enter the Divine Kingdom!" Gu Ce said without the slightest hesitation.

Thanks to "Demonic Flame 2333" and "Love, Hate, Parting" for the monthly tickets.

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